Handle locking means for travel irons



Fb. 6, 1951 G. E. HANNER 2,540,579

HANDLE LOCKING MEANS FOR TRAVEL IRONS Filed May 16, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

GEORG E HANNER Z WM- W7 Patented Feb. 6, 1951 HANDLE LOCKING MEANS FOR TRAVEL IRONS George E. Hanner, Mansfield, ()hio, assignor to Dominion Electrical Manufacturing, Inc, a

corporation of Ohio Application May 16, 1947, Serial No. 748,500

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates in general to a travel iron handle lock incorporated in and interconnecting the sole plate cover and the foldable handle of a travel iron to lock the handle in usable position relative to the sole plate.

Many difierent methods have been employed to lock the foldable handle of a travel iron in usable position. One of the problems involved is to provide a locking device which is easy to operate and which readily permits folding of the handle into foldable position relative to the sole plate. In this folded position the travel iron may be more easily packed into a suitcase or other package.

It is one of the objectsof my invention to overcome certain problems involved and provide a locking device which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a travel iron handle lock which is easy to operate for locking the handle in usable position relative to the sole plate cover.

Another object of my invention is to provide a handle member and an ear member pivotally connected together with one of the members having a slot and the other having a keyhole whereby a key may easily be inserted in the slot to lock the members and hold the handle of a travel iron in usable position.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be' had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in con junction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a travel iron with the handle in usable position, and with certain parts shown in cross-section to better illustrate the design thereof.

Figure 2- is an end view of a flatiron showing the features of my invention, With the handle illustrated in usable position, and a phantom view of the handle as folded for shipment or travel.

.. ,F gure 3 is an expanded and oblique view illustrating the parts of my invention;

Figure {l is a view along the line 4- of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the keybolt used to interconnect relatively pivotal handle parts.

In Figure 1 of my drawings I illustrate a side elevational view of a travel iron having a sole plate l0, a sole plate cover H and a folding handle |2.- .The sole plate cover H has a front ear I 3 and a back ear l4 extending upwardly therefrom for pivotally supporting the folding tive to the sole plate cover H.

33 of the knob 25.

handle [2. The cars l3 and I4 may be fastened by rivets I! or by other suitable means to the sole plate cover H. A front handle member It may be fastened by a screw l9 to the handle I2 and by a pivot rivet l8 to the front ear l3. A back handle member I6 may be fastened by screw i9 to the handle I 2 and by a pivot rivet l8 to the back ear #4. It is understood that these handle members 5 and it may be fastened to the handle i2 by other suitable'means, such for example as molding the folding handle !2 of plastic material on the end thereof. The pivot rivets l8, connecting the handle members to the cars respectively, permit folding of the handle l2 rela- The cars l3 and M and the handle members 15 and It may be constructed of any suitable material. However, I have found it preferable to construct them of a metal.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the back handle member it has an elongated keyhole 2| therein. The back ear M has a slot 22 therein with the slot 22 opening on an edge thereof. This preferred embodiment is provided with the elongated keyhole 2| positioned longitudinally of the back handle member I6, and the slot 22 opening on a top edge 23 of the back ear M. Thus, when the handle [2 is positioned in usable position relative to the sole plate cover II, as illustrated in Figure 2, the elongated keyhole 2! and the slot 22 are aligned.

As best illustrated in the Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, I illustrate a keybolt 24 having a head portion 35 and a small shoulder portion 3! and a threaded bolt portion 32. Also, aknob 25 is provided with a threaded recess 33 therein to receive the threaded portion 32 of the keybolt 24. In the use of my improved handle lock, I desire that the keybolt 24 and knob 25 be freely movable relative to the keyhole 2 l, but also desire that the movement be smooth. Therefore, I have pro vided ashoulder 26 extending from the knob 25 about the recess 33. In actual constructionof this locking means, I provide both the thread for the recess and the shoulder 25 by 'the provision of a metal insert in the knob 25, as indicated by the dot-dash line 34 in the Figure 4. Also, I have dimensioned the small shoulder 3! to be of substantially the same length as the thickness of the member 55. Therefore, when assembling the keybolt Z i and the knob 25, the threaded portion 32 of the keybolt 2% is inserted through the keyhole 2! and threaded into the threaded recess The keybolt 26 is tightened into the recess 33 until the shoulder 3| is tightly in contact with the shoulder 26. Therefore, it will be seen that the small shoulder 26 will provide a clearance 35 between the face of the knob 25 and the surface of the handle member I6, whereby the keybolt 24 and the knob 25 may be freely moved in the keyhole 2|, but the movement will be smooth and easy.

In order to provide secure looking, I have provided the outside diameter of the head portion 30 on the keybolt 24 to be slightly larger than the width of the slot 22 on the back ear I4. I have found that the outside diameter of the portion 30 need be only a few thousandths of an inch larger than the width of the slot 22 in order to tightly secure the portion 30 in the slot 22. In fact, in actual practice, I have found that it is preferable to provide a slight taper for the slot 22 from the surface 23 inwardly of the member I4 capable of holding the head 39 with a gripping action.

The elongated keyhole 2I, as best illustrated in Figure 2 of my drawings is of greater length than the slot 22 in the back ear I 4. That is, with the rivet I8 pivotally securing the member I6 to the member I4, the top of the keyhole 2I will be positioned above the top surface 23 of the back ear I4. Therefore, in order to use my improved handle locking means, the keybolt 24 and knob 25 may be moved longitudinally in the keyhole 2I to insert and withdraw the head portion 32 of the keybolt 24 relative to the slot 22 of the back ear I4, Thus, as illustrated in Figure 2, the keybolt 24 and knob 25 are positioned at the end of the keyhole slot 22 nearest the handle I2. The keyhole slot 2! is aligned with the slot 22. In this position, the handle it is unlatched from the ear is and may therefore be pivoted about the pivot I 8 to the position illustrated in phantom in the Figure 2, or the locking means may be moved to lock the handle I2 in position for use.

From the position as illustrated in the Figure 2, the knob 25 is moved downwardly toward the base In in order to lock the handle member I2 into a usable position. By thus moving the knob 25 downwardly, the head portion 353 of the keybolt 24 is forced into the tight slot 22. Thus, it is obvious that the members I4 and It are secured together at two points, namely, at the pivot I B and at the position where the keybolt 24 is finally positioned in the slot 22 and the keyhole 21. This locking movement as described is very simple and requires only a slight pressure of the thumb to press downwardly on the knob In order to unlock the handle I2 to position the handle for shipping, the forefinger is used to pull upwardly on the knob 25 relative to the handle I2, and therefore disengage the head portion 30 of the keybolt 24 from the slot 22. The handle may thereafter be pivoted about the pivot 'IB, to position the handle as illustrated in the phantom view in Figure 2.

In the preferred description of my invention, I have incorporated this travel iron handle lock mechanism in the back handle member I6 and a back ear I4 which extends from the sole plate cover II. However, it is understood that the features of my invention may be incorporated in the front handle member I and the front ear I3. It is further to be understood that the keyhole slot 2| may be positioned in the ear mem- 4 her and that the slot 22 may be positioned in the handle member.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity in its preferred form, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a folding handle, a support member having an end provided with a slot therein, a handle member pivoted on said support member at a distance from said. end and having an aperture extending longitudinally thereof, and alignable with said slot, and a finger engageable bolt extending through said aperture and positionable in said slot to restrain pivotal movement of said handle member on said support member.

2. In a folding handle for travel irons, a sole plate including an ear upstanding with respect thereto and. terminating in a top edge, said ear having a slot opening on said top edge, a handle member pivoted to said ear at a distance from said top edge and adapted to assume a usable position during use of the iron or a folded position during transporting of the iron, said handle member having an elongated keyhole therein alignable with the slot when the handle is in usable position, and a bolt slidable in said keyhole and into said slot, said keyhole extending beyond said top edge of said ear at least a distance equal to the thickness of said bolt when said handle member is in usable position whereby the bolt may be slid in said keyhole and out of said slot, said bolt including a finger engageable nut threadable thereon to tighten said bolt in said slot and lock said handle member in said usable position and against said ear.

3. A folding handle for travel irons and the like, said folding handle comprising a supporting ear terminating in an edge, s'aid ear having a slot opening on said edge, a handle member pivoted to said ear at a distance from said edge and adapted to assume a usable position or a folded position, said handle member having an elongated keyhole therein alignable with the slot when the handle is in usable position, and a bolt slidable in said keyhole and into said slot, said keyhole extending beyond said edge of said ear at least a distance equal to the thickness of said bolt when said handle member is in usable position whereby the bolt may be slid within said keyhole and out of said slot, said bolt including a finger engageable nut threadable thereon to tighten said bolt in said slot and lock said handle member in said usable position and against said ear.

GEORGIJ E. HANNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hufiman Apr. 1, 1941 

